Improvement in cases for turbine water-wheels



THOMAS LEFFEL, OF SPRINGFIELD,

OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO IIIMSELF AND HENRY O. BARNETT, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CASES FOR TURBINE WATER-WHEELS.

Speeieation forming part 0i' Letters Patent N0. 86,085, dated January 19, 1869.

To alt 'whom 'it may concern:

Befit known that I, THOMAS LEFFEL, of Springfield, in the county of Clarke and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Turbine Tater -Wheel Cases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and the letters of reference thereon, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the case, showing the gates open. Fig. 2 is partly sectional, with the gates closed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the gate or guide singly.

The same letters in all of the ligures represent like parts.

The object ot' my invention is to prevent the jar oscillating gates receive from being shut by the force of the water, and, by an increase of leverage, simple and direct, to easily control the quantity of water and open or close the gates, and to obviate the quivering motion hitherto experienced in using these oscillating gates by using them in combination with guides, simplifying the entire case, and making it cheaper, stronger, and more ett'eetive.

In the annexed drawin g, B I) is the cylinderplate, composed of a vertical tube large enough to receive t-he wheel, the top of which is the flange b. This cylinder-plate B b is calculated to set in the bottom of the ume or forebay. The horizontal ange l) rests on the oor and sustains the weight of the wheel and ease, and is made of metal. A c, the crown-plate, metallic, the top of which is arched, and forms a chamber or dome over the wheel for the upward escape of water from the buckets, which passes out down the center of the wheel. The tubular portion A is large enough for the wheel to easily revolve in.

a is the hanged portion, horizontal in position. The langes a and I) are connected by bolts passing through the column-guides D D D. Upon these guides the crown-plate A t rests, and is maintained in a position parallel with the lower iiange, b. The guides D D D are scroll-shaped fans, as seen in Fig. 3, and extend across the plane of flanges between them at an angle with the radius of the wheel and flanges, being an improvement over the columns used in other cases, and eiectually prevent the sagging of the crown-plate Au. Between each of the guides D D D are placed oscillating gates E E E, of the same shape. (See Fig. 3.) Vhen open the gates E E E are parallel with the guides D D D, and form water passages or chutes, conducting the water onto the wheel at the angle necessary to give it the greatest amount of leverage.

The gates E E E are hung on pivotbolts passing through lugs thereof at the center of oscillation, at which point is rigidly attached the lever or arm c c, (see Fig. 2,) which extends outwardly radially to the wheel, where the other end is connected by bolts, on which they turn, to the ring-plate O, Fig. 1. This is a metallic ring, concentric with the lange a surrounding the same, with bearings at the edges, and resting on the lever c c by means of the shaft f, with a pinion meshing into the rack e, attached to the rin g-plate O, which revolves sufficiently to open or close the gates E E E. YVhen the shaft f is turned the ring O will revolve with the levers c c, turning on their fulcra, and open or close the gates as it is turned right or left. I use six guides and gates usually. Then shut the inner end of the gate E shuts against the inner end of the guide D next in front, and the outer end of the gate E shuts against the outer end of the guide D next in the rear. The guides and gates being used alternately, the spaces between the iian ges a and b are completely closed, shutting the water off from the wheel. The outer end of the guides D D D receives the force of the water when the gates are closed. The angle it receives carries it between the guides D D D and the gates E E E. The force of the water thus directed assists in opening the gates E E E, relieving them from jars and strains by the solidity of the guides. The gates E E E are easily closed, being parallel with the guides, which are stationary. They move at all points obliquely against the eurrent of the water, and have, by means of levers and attachments before described, a stron g and direct leverage.

In regulating the quantity of water to be admitted onto the wheel, the guides being statonary, the direction or angle with which the Water strikes the buckets of the wheel is always the same.

I do not claim the invention of oscillating gates or guides. Guides have been used in connection with each other to open, form, and close the Water-passages. When so used the force of the water shuts the gates, which jars them. The Water striking the ends gives them a quivering motion, which renders them liable to break; and in regulating the supply of Water power is lost, as the gates, forming the chutes or Water-passages, all turn. The water is admitted onto the Wheels at different angles, as the gates stand open at different points or positions. My method materially overcomes these objections.

Stationary guides are also used, in connection With each other, to form Water chutes or passages; but when so used a series of gates or registers is used in combination With them and outside of them, to open and close the chutes or passages, being more complicated in l construction, and do not admit the Water as freely as oscillating' gates.

My method has the advantages of oscillating gates and the improvements described; also, the improved method of opening and shutting the same.

`VVllat I claim as my invention, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The alternate series of gates E E E and guides D D D, in combination With each other, as shown and described.

2. The gate E and arm c, as combined with the ring-plate C and fiange a, pivoted to each of said plates, as and for the purposes described.

3. The combination of the guides D D D and gates E E E With the ring-plate C and lever-arm c, all as shown and described.

THOMAS LEFFEL.

Witnesses JOHN W. PARsoNs, DAVID M. COCHRAN. 

